ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. ground — a position
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. drill — army training
  8. march — music
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. march — the month
  11. ground — crushed
  12. row — to paddle
  13. row — a line
  14. season — of the year
  15. drill — the tool
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. ground — the earth
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. can — a tin
  20. can — a tin
  21. season — in sport
  22. march — the month
  23. drill — a practice
  24. season — to add flavour

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com